Wine & Cheese Pairings

Finding the perfect match for a bold or light cheeses can be a culinary revelation. When it comes to wine and cheese pairings, the goal is often to find a balance between the saltiness of the cheese and the structural elements of the wine—specifically sweetness or acidity.

Tips for Success

To make your wine and cheese pairings even better, consider these three rules:

• Match Intensity: Never pair a delicate wine with a powerful blue; the cheese will completely wash out the wine’s flavor.
• Temperatures Matter: Serve your blue cheese at room temperature to let the fats soften, but keep your sweet wines well-chilled to maintain their acidity.
• Accompaniments: Add walnuts, dried figs, or honeycomb to the board to bridge the flavors between the glass and the plate.

Blue cheeses like Roquefort, Stilton, and Gorgonzola Dolce each have distinct profiles that require specific partners to truly shine. Here is a breakdown of how to elevate these pairings.

1. Roquefort: The King of Blues

Roquefort is a sheep’s milk cheese from France that is famously salty, tangy, and moist. Because it has such a high salt content, it needs a wine with significant residual sugar to create a “salty-sweet” harmony.

• Top Pairing: Sauternes. This classic French dessert wine offers notes of apricot, honey, and peaches. The luscious sweetness cuts through the moldy tang of the Roquefort, creating a creamy, caramel-like finish on the palate.
• Alternative: A late-harvest Riesling or a sweet Tokaji.

2. Stilton: The Sophisticated Classic

Stilton is a cow’s milk cheese with a crumbly texture and a deep, nutty, mellow flavor. It is less aggressive than Roquefort but possesses a complex earthiness.

• Top Pairing: Vintage Port. This is perhaps the most iconic of all wine and cheese pairings. The dark fruit notes and high alcohol of the Port stand up to the dense structure of the Stilton. The wine’s tannins are softened by the cheese’s fat content.
• Alternative: A rich, nutty Oloroso Sherry or a heavy-bodied Shiraz.

3. Gorgonzola Dolce: The Creamy Delight

Unlike its “Piccante” sibling, Gorgonzola Dolce is buttery, mild, and almost spreadable. It has a subtle sweetness that pairs beautifully with lighter, more aromatic options.

• Top Pairing: Moscato d’Asti. The gentle bubbles and floral notes of a Moscato lift the heavy creaminess of the cheese off the tongue, making the pairing feel light and refreshing rather than overwhelming.
• Alternative: Amarone della Valpolicella. If you prefer red, the dried-fruit intensity of an Amarone complements the funk of the Gorgonzola without clashing.

For fresh young cheese pairings, the strategy changes completely.

Instead of balancing salt with sugar, you are now looking for high acidity and “zippy” fruit notes to cut through the milky, often tangy profile of unaged cheeses.

Here are the essential wine and cheese pairings for your favorite fresh varieties:

1. Burrata: The Rich & Creamy Star

Burrata is essentially a mozzarella shell filled with cream and curds. It is incredibly rich and buttery, meaning it needs a wine with enough “lift” to cleanse your palate after each bite.

• Top Pairing: Prosecco. The bubbles and crisp acidity act as a scrubber for the fat on your tongue, while the fruity notes of green apple complement the delicate milkiness.
• Red Option: Beaujolais. This light-bodied red made from Gamay grapes is fruit-forward and low in tannin, ensuring it won’t overpower the soft flavor of the cream.
• Alternative: Pinot Grigio. Specifically one from Alto Adige for high mineral notes.

2. Feta: The Salty & Briny Classic

Feta is sheep or goat milk cheese cured in brine. It is sharp, salty, and crumbly, which requires a wine that can handle high salinity without turning bitter.

• Top Pairing: Assyrtiko. Following the “what grows together, goes together” rule, this Greek white wine is bone-dry with a hint of sea-salt minerality and citrus that mirrors the brine of the Feta perfectly.

• Alternative: Sauvignon Blanc. A New Zealand version with grassy, tropical notes provides a refreshing “green” contrast to the salty cheese.
• Surprise Hit: Dry Rosé. A pale Provence rosé offers a light fruitiness that tames the sharp tang of the cheese.

3. Chèvre (Goat Cheese): The Tangy & Earthy Favorite

Fresh Chèvre is famous for its citrusy “zing” and earthy finish. Because it is highly acidic, you need a wine that matches that acidity, or the wine will taste flat.

• Top Pairing: Sancerre (Sauvignon Blanc). This is widely considered the “gold standard” of all wine and cheese pairings. The flinty, herbaceous notes of the Loire Valley wine are a mirror image of the goat cheese’s flavor profile.

• Alternative: Chenin Blanc. Look for a dry (Sec) version for a honeyed aroma that balances the “funk” of the goat milk.
• Next Step: Chablis. This unoaked Chardonnay has a sharp, steely acidity that cuts through the coating of the cheese.